Ouya Is Coming This March With 300 Games In Development

I know our readers are used to seeing us report almost exclusively about Android phones and tablets, but since this is AndroidinCanada, I think it appropriate to also cover developments in the Android-based gaming scene.

This year is shaping up to be a pretty big one for Android gaming systems. Nvidia has already dropped the news about their Jelly Bean-powered Project Shield, and Archos has already started selling their Android 4.1 Gamepad in Europe, with the units going on sale over here sometime this quarter. I was impressed by both of these projects, but what I’m really waiting for is the $99 Ouya console.

Ouya started out as a Kickstarter project, ultimately raking in $8 million, making it the second highest Kickstarter earner in history. The console promises to be fully open and rootable as well as easily opened so that users can hack or mod the device to their liking. Its OS will start out based on Android 4.1, and all of its games will be available free-to-try on a special Ouya app store.

Now, for those of you that already know everything I described above, here comes the news. According to a story over at Geek.com, the platform already has over 300 games in development. Imagine the device releasing this spring with that many titles on the horizon. In comparison, are you aware how many titles are currently available for the Wii U, Nintendo’s next-gen console released only a few months ago? I count 45 over at ebgames.ca.

We’ll see whether or not the Ouya will make a dent in the highly-competitive gaming industry, currently dominated by Microsoft, Sony, Apple, and Nintendo. This is obviously dependent on how the company markets the device. Nevertheless, if you’re like me, you’re excited about the prospects of Android gaming devices like the Ouya and their potential for making great games cheaper, more accessible, and more innovative.